India's odds lengthen ahead of Brisbane Test

India have won their last two Test matches against Australia. Their batting line-up features some of the world's finest players. Yet ahead of Thursday's first Test at Brisbane, India's odds just keep getting longer and longer. Starting at an already long 8/1, India first moved out to 10/1 earlier in the week, and then today drifted further out to 14/1.

Australia have shortened correspondingly - they are now a miserly 4/9 to win the match, with the draw at 15/8, perhaps reflecting the risk of thunderstorms.

On paper, India's batting line-up is more than adequate for the task ahead. The experience of Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid, is boosted, of course, by the masterful skills of Sachin Tendulkar. VVS Laxman averages a cool 56 against Australia, and looks a handy bet at 6/1 for India's top first-innings scorer, while Tendulkar is 2/1 favourite to get his series off to a flying start. Dravid fares less well against Australia - his average of 38.55 against them is vastly inferior to his excellent overall career average of 54.37, so punters may be well advised to avoid putting their money on "The Wall".

The Australian batting powerhouse is led by the two openers, who are sure to attempt to take the match away from India at the first opportunity. Punters should probably look towards the Australian top order for their Top Australia Batsman first-innings bet. The world Test record-holder Matthew Hayden is 3/1 favourite, followed by Ricky Ponting (100/30), who seems to enjoy the Indian attack in one-day cricket but has a noticeably lower average in Tests against them. Ponting averages 52.73 overall, but 34.93 in his ten matches against India. Adam Gilchrist has a Test average of over 60, but is out at 8/1, perhaps reflecting his lower position in the Test batting order (and a mild bout of flu) and his similarly modest record against India (he averages only 38.33 against them). Justin Langer bucks this trend and is attractively priced at 4/1 - his average of 45 against India is marginally higher than his overall career average of 44.88.

But with those two famous 2001 matches fresh in the memory, who would bet with any confidence on any outcome when these two teams face up?